Turmoil is the last thing you'd expect when you drive into the favored village of Osterville.

The gentle curves of the roads lead you past estates and gracious houses, and the tranquil bay waters are visible from many vantages. On the surface, there's an old-fashioned grace to the buildings, but look more closely and you see signs of the modern age. On the plus side, there's a gas pump sporting all the latest technology, but there's also a grocery store that remains empty, testament to the lure of large-scale commercial development outside the village center.

Delve down another level and you find the argument over affordable housing on the Darby property, which at one point seemed to divide the traditional leadership of the village and residents new to activism, with the latter vociferously opposed to any use of the open space for housing.

Indicative of the recent changes and compromises is the cover sheet from the Osterville Village Association that accompanies the final draft of the Osterville village plan. It is signed by Chuck Sabatt, the association's president, who not long ago presided over an annual meeting in which foes of Darby housing challenged the leadership's authority. One of the challengers was Mary Jane Savage, whose name and signature appear under Sabatt's as "chairperson LCP."

"Today, Osterville is faced with several major village issues that need resolution," the document declares. "These resolutions will require attentive work on the part of the village residents to see them to a successful conclusion that respects the aspirations of Osterville residents." Those aspirations regarding Darby, according to the draft plan, require action "to impress upon our Town Manager and Town Councilor and remaining Town Council body the need to preserve this valuable asset." That means public water supply and passive recreation, yes; housing, no.

But the draft does not oppose affordable housing in Osterville, calling on the Barnstable Housing Authority to develop two sites it owns totaling 4.33 acres. Only then should the town develop other sites in the village, the plan proposes.

"Osterville under its existing and past zoning provides diverse options in housing," the report states, adding a bit later, "Although a highly valued village, a large majority of its residents are retired and most live on fixed incomes." Still, the bottom line declares that "the village needs to support affordable housing developments, taking into consideration location and neighborhood density."

The draft plan rallies the troops around the Osterville Bay Elementary School, slated for closure in 2007 as part of a long-term plan to sell or lease older school buildings to help pay for new or modernized and expanded structures.

"The Village residents have discussed the two elementary schools in Osterville and viewed these schools as an integral component of our community," the report states. "The present use of these buildings and community center, along with the ball fields, should remain intact." Other ways in which the draft plan seeks to protect the character of the village include maintaining a two-story limit on buildings and stepped-up enforcement of zoning regulations. Sidewalks are proposed along Main Street to Swift Avenue, the Centerville Village line and the entire length of Parker Road.

There is a serious concern about possible expansion of retail/office space between Pond Street and Osterville-West Barnstable Road, where development could draw business away from the traditional center and complicate traffic flow to boot. The plan calls for a zoning study in the area. It might surprise some to learn that the drafters of the plan want to increase, not restrict, public access to the water. "Existing ways to water are obscured by vegetation and impeded by lack of proper signage," the report states. "We recommend that the DPW become involved in the process of identifying existing rights of way to the waterfront. Working with the DOW, the village residents should be able to have greater access to public waterways.

The planners are concerned about the polluting effects of road runoff and septic system discharge, and propose town studies.